Have lots of moles? It may mean slower aging

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Jul 16th 2007 7:00AM

Categories: Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness

People who have 100 or more moles on their body may age more slowly than people with less than 25 moles. That finding comes out of London where scientists linked incidence of moles to telomere length. Telomeres are bundles of DNA in cells. Compared to "the plastic tip on shoelaces," telomeres help to prevent wear and tear of chromosomes. By measuring telomeres, researchers found that those with moles had a biological age 6-7 years younger than their non-moley peers.

The flip side is that a high incidence of moles also increases a person's risk for dangerous melanoma. But even though they don't understand why some people have more moles than others, researchers think that this may mean that certain people have some natural protection against age-related diseases like heart disease and osteoporosis.

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Comments (62)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Crabby McSlacker 7-16-2007 @ 9:32AM

This is that sort of silly study that seems surprising and may well change again tomorrow when a new study comes out, but...

Hooray! I have lots of moles!

Hmm, a hundred? Let's see, one, two, three, four...

(When Crabby's done counting, you can find her at her grouchy health blog, http://crankyfitness.blogspot.com/)

biowmn 7-16-2007 @ 9:41AM

Its 'telomeres'

Christine 7-16-2007 @ 12:51PM

...this news is a bit wacky...hope it comes true...I have so many moles and freckles\moles from MOM/freckles from DAD...have had many a mole removed and hit with the 'melanoma'...way past fifty years...and hit with osteo...'tho no heart problems yet....soooo...just sharing...(o;

Bethany Sanders 7-16-2007 @ 2:47PM

Thanks for the catch, Biowmn! I made the corrections.

Carol Joyner 7-19-2007 @ 7:18AM

At least this silly study wasn't funded by OUR taxpayer dollars.

riya 7-19-2007 @ 8:53AM

i think this study is stupid everyone knows that people who have moles obviously have bad skin due to skin damage and that's how they got so many moles and freckels of them on their bodies. i have clear skin and i think having freckles everywhere on your body looks discusting and makes people look older. that's just what i'm saying man!

DK 7-19-2007 @ 9:09AM

We call them 'chocolate chips' in our house! It just sounds better than 'moles'. EWWWWWW!

michele 7-19-2007 @ 9:30AM

Moles are disgusting. Every notice how "moley" the Brits are? Next they'll come out with a study that proves how having crooked, yellow teeth will allow you to live to be 150. What a crock.

j 8-03-2007 @ 10:28PM

Bethany, you might want to adjust your tags to to read aginG or as on dictionary described it the "more slightly British way" agEinG. You have AGIN, which I think is Southern for "one more time" You touch my mole agin, and I'll tell paw?

Caps used to "emphasize" spelling.

Lori 7-19-2007 @ 11:20AM

I was born with freckles and moles, and the older I get the more I have. I avoid the sun like the plague, whenever I'm out there I burn. Yes, alot of my freckles are sun-related, but, that's life. Even with sunblock, I'm going to burn and freckle, that's my lot in life. My husband, of 21 years today, has not problem with them, so they're are not ugly.

J.B. 7-19-2007 @ 11:25AM

# 8

Why do you call moles disgusting? like a person realy can help having them? I guess your family is PERFECT and so are you. Whats your problem with British people? I feel YOU are disgusting picking out a nationality and pick on them, teeth have NOTHING to do with the article.
ITS MOLES, stupid.

Discusted 7-19-2007 @ 12:13PM

Moley Moley Moley! Remember the funny commercial where the guy stares at the person with the mole discusting looking things they are hate them! Movies make fun of them! Who wants the ugly things anyway!

gia 7-19-2007 @ 12:20PM

ok. i'll say it. holey moley!

i'm done.

;-)

Rachele 7-19-2007 @ 12:56PM

I am barely moled and barely freckled and wish I had more. I think freckles make people look younger, not older! Freckles are cute. It is possible that a poorly placed mole can be unappealing (witches from fairy tales?) but for the most part I like them and have never, ever considered them "discusting."

Science has been criticized for not having enough public outreach (sharing their research findings with the public), but it seems that when they do people don't appreciate it. Science reports its findings so that others can join in on the research to confirm, rebutt or improve upon the work. I think this is interesting research. PARTICULARLY for those with telomere related diseases. If you had these diseases you would not find this research so "stupid" and would be happy that it is being studied.

While it's true that further research may find this inacurrate, or partially inaccurate, it gives others a starting point for further study; something to prove or disprove and in doing so, will likely find other important links. Long live the scientists and may they continue to share their discoveries with the public! Even if criticized.

L.W 7-19-2007 @ 1:01PM

My daughter calls my moles/freckles "sprinkles".

real woman 7-19-2007 @ 1:40PM

#6
WOW! What a belittling attitude towards others you view as less than perfect like you. Your skin may be clear on the outside but you have shown everyone your true colors on the inside. I'm 48 and have always had freckles since I was a child....and for your info everyone I have ever met my entire life thinks I am much younger than I really am. Including when I was in my late 20's I was often ID'd and thought to be a 16 year old high school student. I"m really happy about it now being almost 50! So please don't say people are ugly....

Meme 7-19-2007 @ 1:44PM

This is a wild story! I don't have many but I am not worried..still, some of the studies they do sure are silly! Oh and pleaseeee...people, stop picking on Brits (and everyone else) and who knows who does these studies, just STOP your dang whining about "my taxpayer dollars"! Seems everything and every study and every whatever topic under the sun, we have to listen to whining about "my taxpayer dollars." We ALL pay taxes..stop your whining and keep an eye on them moles!

CG 7-19-2007 @ 1:51PM

You know what I think is disgusting, Stupid people. Moles not so much. I'm 25 and I look like I'm freakin 17, oh And I have alot of moles. Disgusting, screw that I'm attractive and shall remain so for a long time, Long after you mole haters have gone bald, gained 40 pounds and sport a face that resembles a crumpled up piece of paper. So HA.

JUDITH S. STINNETT 7-19-2007 @ 11:34PM

MY SON & I AM NOT KIDING, HAS MOLES ALL OVER HIS BODY. ESPECIALLY UNDER HIS ARM PITS & ON HIS NECK, HE IS 45 & WHITE .

Debby 7-20-2007 @ 8:15PM

If you study Mendel's Laws of color, you will find that many people have moles/freckles because they have a condition called "occupation". It makes the skin show different colors of the ancestors before, like a calico cat or a pinto horse. In "blending" the color is blended between the mother and father and the color comes out smooth and usually one color. I was born with occupation, many moles, and freckles all over my body. I am a white woman, 55 years old, and ALWAYS have been told I look younger. I have some clusters of moles/freckles on my left knee that are very attractive and I have been complemented on them all my life. Incidentally I was asked to model many times when I was younger, so it made no difference in my beauty in the eyes of others.